| The 2003 EMMY AWARDS SHOW has come and gone. The winners have stashed away their booty, and the awards are probably tucked away on just the right shelf as well. And despite 11 usually funny comics, the telecast was highlighted by two funny kisses rather than the numerous attempts at jokes from the likes of ELLEN DEGENERES, BRAD GARRETT, DARRELL HAMMOND, GEORGE LOPEZ, BERNIE MAC, DENNIS MILLER, CONAN O'BRIEN, GARRY SHANDLING, MARTIN SHORT, JON STEWART and WANDA SYKES. MATHEW PERRY got the liplock rolling with a long passionate kiss for winner DORIS ROBERTS. MADONNA, BRITNEY and CHRISTINA must have been jealous. Then BRAD GARRETT planted one on GARRY SHANDLING for good measure after he won. What good are the battalions of writers hired to script showcase award shows like this one, and MTV'S MOVIE MUSIC AWARDS, if the big entertainment is a simple kiss between two of the many players? How about OZZIE OSBOURN and MARTHA STEWART? That ought to get 'em watching.
GARRETT didn't get enough standup on the air, as he was was still doing schtick all down the press line at the HBO after party. The top soiree of the evening was held in several massive tents on the grounds of the Pacific Design Center. It must have been sweet revenge for the EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND actor who just weeks earlier sat on the cusp of being dropped from the show over a salary dispute. RAY RAMANO, television's highest paid actor, lost his bid for best actor in a comedy to TONY SHALOUB who stars in MONK. But he couldn't be happier that the ensemble cast was finally rewarded for BEST COMEDY. " I was not disappointed that I lost because the show won. That's the better of the two." He was not willing to commit to another year of the show saying "not so fast, we'll figure it out."
SHALHOUB also beat out MATT LE BLANC who was the sentimental favorite for his role of JOEY on FRIENDS now in its' last season. This must be the 4th last season the show has enjoyed. DEBRA MESSING joined the rest of her cast with acolades for WILL & GRACE, winning BEST ACTRESS in a COMEDY. SEAN HAYES, ERIC McCORMACK and MEGAN MULLAHLY all have won EMMY'S for their roles. Look for WILL & GRACE to win BEST COMEDY next year.
On the drama side of things, SIX FEET UNDER, which went into the evening with 16 nominations, most of any show, came away with none. The stars of that show were undaunted as they arrived at the party. THE WEST WING won for BEST DRAMA, beating out THE SOPRANOS which many thought would finally win. It was ineligible for the awards last year because of the timing of its' release. JAMES GANDOLFINI and EDDIE FALCO did score BEST ACTOR and BEST ACTRESS, and JOE PANTOLIANO won for BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR giving THE SOPRANOS 3 statuettes, tying RAYMOND. GANDOLFINI and FALCO, as they have done in years past blew by reporters without their EMMYS to get to the festivities, FALCO on the arm of actor STANLEY TUCCI. PANTOLIANO did take time to talk with the press.
THE WEST WING won for the 4th year in a row, and has won every year it has been nominated. STOCKYARD CHANNING beamed on the press line"Four for four, never happened before!" She indicated her excitement that her character of First Lady MRS. BARTLETT would see more camera time this season. However, the big winner of the night was the TNT miniseries DOOR TO DOOR, starring WILLIAM H. MACY which took home 6 awards, including BEST ACTOR, BEST DIRECTOR, STEVEN SCHACTER and BEST MOVIE(or miniseries). Mr. MACY was proudly cradling his award as he spoke with the lineup of television cameras on the blue carpet at the HBO party.
DAVID SCHWIMMER, COURTNEY COX and JENNIFER ANISTON trumped all of the winners, as they created the biggest buzz at the party upon their arrival. They avoided the press and opted to go directly into the tents, where they hung together.
Over at the FOX party, held under a more modest tent on the parking lot of MORTON'S, famous for the VANITY FAIR OSCAR party, things were less jubilant. The show's ratings were down from previous years, but more significantly, FOX was shutout of the primetime awards, winning no statuettes on the broadcast. They did garner 7 in technical wards handed out a week earlier. Of the networks, HBO led the way with 18, followed by CBS with 16 and NBC with 15.
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